Monday, September 1, 2014

I'm glad you've joined me today. Our guest author is Dianne Neal Matthews, a freelance
writer and the author of four daily devotional books including The One Year Women of the Bible and Designed for Devotion, which won a 2013 Selah Award. She also writes for websites and blogs, contributes to
compilations (including Guideposts’
Mornings with Jesus), and teaches at writers' conferences. Dianne and her
husband currently live in southeast Texas, but she is frequently on the road to
visit her children and grandchildren.I asked Dianne to share one of the devotions from her book, Designed for Devotion. I love the title and think this devotional is a good companion for reading through the bible. It's my pleasure to introduce Dianne and her writing to you.

Philippians: Joy to the Church

Always be joyful in the Lord! I'll say it again: Be joyful!
Philippians 4:4

Paul
enjoyed a special relationship with the believers in Philippi. The church that
originated from a handful of women on a riverbank in Macedonia faithfully
supported Paul and for the most part, remained a healthy congregation. When the
believers heard that Paul had been imprisoned in Rome, they sent a financial
gift through one of their members, Epaphroditus. Paul responded by writing the
Philippians a letter to express his gratitude and deep love for them, and to
urge them toward a lifestyle of holiness, humility, unity, and joy.

Philippians
does contains a small amount of doctrinal teaching. Paul addressed the problem
of rivalry and dissension in the church, and touched on the false teachings of
legalism and antinomianism. But Philippians is primarily a personal letter of
love and encouragement toward spiritual growth. Besides the benefit of Paul’s
instructions, he offers himself as a living example as he shares thoughts about
his circumstances.

Paul
declares that he has learned to be content in whatever situation he finds
himself (4:11). He has the assurance that he can do all things through Christ
who strengthens him (4:13). Such victorious living is possible because of his
single-minded devotion to knowing Christ and sharing the gospel. Paul urges his
readers to imitate Christ’s perfect example of sacrifice and humility when he
temporarily set aside his rightful glory and took on human form, even
submitting to a horrible death on the cross.

The concept of “joy” is a predominant theme in Philippians.
The noun and verb form of “joy” or a synonym is used sixteen times in the
letter’s four chapters. While happiness depends on our outward circumstances,
joy is deeper, stronger, and springs from our attitudes and mindset. Joy is a
steadfast, confident assurance of God’s love and presence in our life no matter
what we’re going through. Philippians is our own personal love letter from God,
reminding us that joy is a gift he wants all his children to enjoy.

About
the Book:
Designed for Devotion: A 365 Day Journeyfrom Genesis to Revelation provides an overview of the Bible in
chronological order. It offers background information for each book, including
the author, theme, purpose for writing, and historical setting. The devotional
highlights the key stories and characters in the OT and gospels, and explores
the basic teachings of the NT writers. Several devotions called “Jesus
Sightings” focus on how Christ fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. Also
included are devotions about the 400-year period between the Testaments, the
concept of “theophany”, the distinction between the Major and Minor Prophets,
and other topics. Each day’s devotion ends with a practical application that
encourages readers to apply that day’s spiritual lesson to their own journey
with God.

Thank you so much for visiting Write Moments with God. Dianne and I would love to hear from you. Would you like a chance to win a copy of Designed for Devotions? It's easy. All you have to do to be included in the drawing is leave a comment below with your email address by midnight September 6, 2014. I will announce the winner on Monday, September 8, 2014. (Participation is limited to residents of the USA.)

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

"Mrs. Johnson, what do you have written on the palm of your hand," a student asked? "Notes to myself," I replied. You see, I've gotten into the habit of writing bits of Scripture on the palm of my hand. Occasionally, I write a note, a phone number, something I need to remember, but usually I write a phrase from Scripture that I can refer to throughout the day. Notes I can keep constantly before my eyes. My peace I give you... My trust is in You.... Believe ye that I am able... My refuge and my strength....

These words are constant reminders to me that God is faithful. The faith filled words help me keep a godly perspective throughout my busy day. A perspective that is in line with His Word and His Will.

Isn't it amazing that we are sodear to God that He has usengraved upon the palms of His hands?

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.... Isaiah 49:15,16a (NIV)

Thank you for visiting Write Moments with God. The meditation that I'm sharing today was a very popular post two years ago. I currently have a short term teaching position. When I wrote on my palm with a Sharpie this week, I remembered this meditation. Be blessed. God has not forgotten you.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Heaviness
in the heart of man makes it stoop: but a good word makes it glad. (AKJV)

Grief
in the heart of a man shall bring him
low, but with a good word he shall be made glad.(Douay-Rheims) (All the above verses are Proverbs 12:25.)

I unwrapped a Halls cough drop for my sore throat and
noticed words, pleasant sayings written on the wrapper.

“Don’t
give up.”

“Seize
the day.”

“A pep
talk in every drop.”

Short simple sayings, but they actually started to work
immediately on my attitude. Their effectiveness penetrated deep causing a boost
of inspiration. My spirits lifted. I smiled.

We all know pleasant words make us feel good. The proverbs
of Solomon instruct us about words and their power. Words can inspire all kinds
of emotions and actions. But Proverbs 16:24 takes it further than that.

Pleasant
words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. Proverbs16:24

Not only do words build up the soul, they can build up the physical body. They can give us strength. Pleasant words can bring joy to the
depressed, healing for those who hurt.

I’m not talking about denying reality. We do have to deal
with the facts of the struggles and obstacles we face. Even so, when my soul is built up, my faith
is increased, and I am better able to overcome those obstacles.

Death
and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the
fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:21

A
fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. Proverbs 18:6

Do we curse ourselves by the poisonous words we speak that are lacking
the life-giving power of faith?

I think this week I will be diligent to speak words of faith
that promote life and vitality, words
that agree with God’s Word and build up my faith and give me hope. I want to be diligent to speak words that
sooth the soul and strengthens the bones.
Not only for myself, but especially for those in need all around me. Will you do the same? God will give us the opportunities.
Let’s be ready.

Rainbow passing over her farm ~ photo courtesy of Jeanne HenriquesCollage of Life

Thank you for visiting Write Moments with God. I am honored you spent some of your time with me. Feel free to share your thoughts below. I always like to hear from you.

Monday, August 11, 2014

“I keep to myself.” My friend explained her habit, her way
of coping with many of life’s issues. Those words coming from my beautiful self-confident friend
surprised me and struck a cord. I
understood oh so well.

I keep to myself.

Our lives are so busy with work and family. We concentrate our efforts at home. In addition to that, people hurt us. It’s natural to withdraw.But not only withdraw from the person who
hurt us, but also to associate the hurts to entire groups of people, to
institutions.

A dog bit you. So now you are afraid of ALL dogs. Not just the mean little critter that sunk
his teeth into your ankle twenty years ago, but to every single creature with
four legs and a tail. (I exaggerate to
make my point.)

But the words “I keep to myself” kept nagging me.

I thought about my gifts. Those wonderful graces the Lord
has bestowed upon me, my talents and strengths that I usually fail to
appreciate.

So that would mean that the gifts God has given me are not
just for my own personal development and enjoyment, they are for the benefit of
the body of Christ. We should use our gifts to edify the church. By the church
I’m not speaking of that brick and mortar building on the corner. I’m referring to the body of Christ—those of
us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and call Him Lord.

“Edify” means to build up.
To me that also implies restoration.
A restoration into a relationship God designed us for before the
foundation of the world.

So then, my conscience convicts me.

My tendency to “keep to myself”, to withdraw, to be
hyper-critical of my gifts and talents and hide them away…to that tendency I
begin to sense a gentle calling in my spirit, “No no, my child. Love edifies. Love builds up. Love restores.”

And the light comes on in my mind and shines in my
heart. Now I get it Lord! It would be like hiding my light under a
bushel. (Matthew 5:15) I can’t do that. I have to let it shine.

All for His glory.

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: til we all come in the unity
of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God….

Thanks for visiting Write Moments with God. This isn't the neat little devotion I intended to bring you today, but it is the meditation that kept speaking to my heart. I hope it speaks to yours as well. Be blessed and be a blessing.

I'd like to thank again Eileen DeCamp for her beautiful photography that she so generously shares with me. What a blessing this lovely and talented Christian friend has been to me. Thank you, Eileen.

And now to announce the winner of last week's book give-away.

Janet McPherson will be receiving a copy of Kathy Collard Miller's book, Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries. Thank you Kathy for being my guest last week, and thank you Janet for sharing your thoughts with us.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Kathy Collard Miller is our guest today on Write Moments with God. She is a
speaker and author with a passion to inspire women to trust God. Kathy has 49 published books including
Women of the Bible: Smart Guide to the Bible (Thomas Nelson). She has spoken in 31 states and 7 foreign countries, and she
blogs at www.KathyCollardMiller.blogspot.com. Kathy lives in Southern
California with her husband of 44 years, Larry, and is the proud grandma of
Raphael. Kathy and Larry often speak together at
marriage events and retreats.

Kathy is sharing an excerpt from her book, Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries. It really touches my mother's heart. At the end of the post, I will tell you how you can win a copy of Kathy's book.

“Let
Him Need Me”

by Kathy Collard
Miller

Several years ago, when my son,
Mark, was 14, I faced the challenge of releasing him to fly alone for the first
time from California to Florida to attend a Christian golf camp. As I explained
how he should find his connecting flight in Dallas, Mark brushed me off by
saying, “I know, Mom, I’ll be okay.” I didn’t think he knew at all how to
“read” the arrival/departure monitor. Dallas was a huge airport, often
requiring a long walk to a distant gate—sometimes even transferring to another
terminal on a train. “He’ll never find the correct gate,” I moaned to myself.

Several hours later, about the time
Mark would arrive in Dallas, I felt tension seep into my neck muscles. I knew
the phone would ring any moment with Mark telling me he had missed his
connecting flight. How was I going to help him? I felt tense about him being
alone and tense that I felt so helpless.

As I tried to keep busy doing
housework, I suddenly sensed God whisper in my heart, “You're worried because you
want him to fail.”

I couldn’t believe that was true.
First of all, I wasn't worried, I was just concerned. And secondly, what kind
of mother would want her child's failure?

But God persisted, “You are worried
because you want to be needed. Let him need Me instead.”

I was shocked, but soon realized it
was true. I wanted to be a part of his life—even in this situation. Mark
needing me to help him would make me feel important and included.

That evening, the phone rang and it
was Mark—in Florida. He had arrived safely. “Did you have trouble finding your
connecting flight in Dallas?” I asked him nervously.

“No, Mom,” he replied
matter-of-factly but with a touch of sarcasm in his voice. “It was directly
across from the gate where I arrived.”

I fell silent. God had provided for
him and I had unexpectedly learned the blessing of releasing my son to God’s
loving care and calling worry worry!

BOOK SUMMARY:

It is possible to worry less through trusting
God more. Regardless of the storms of trials, temptations, worry, uncertainty,
confusion, or regrets that you're facing, you can trust God more. Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries offers personal testimonies, practical
illustrations, and solid biblical teaching for breaking anxiety and the
devastating effects of worry. Each chapter includes Discussion Questions for
individuals or groups, along with a “Letter from God.” In addition, a profile
of a woman in the Bible who struggled with or experienced victory over worry is
featured in each chapter to inspire every reader to see God's hand in her life.Don't be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.Luke 12:32 NIV I hope Kathy's message has encouraged you.

Please leave a comment below with your email address and you will be included in the drawing for a copy of Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries. The winner will be announced Monday, August 11th, here on the blog. Blessings! I'm so glad you joined me today.

Monday, July 28, 2014

As some of you may know, I’ve just taken a bit of a vacation
from my normal routine. But changing my
normal routine caused me to change my daily devotional time, and it was
sometimes haphazard. As I embraced more
carefree activities, I neglected to spend as much time in Bible study. I began
to feel like I was neglecting God. I certainly didn’t intend to do that.

There is a powerful draw of the world, the flesh, and the
devil (See 1 John 2:16) even when we vacation.

But God has made it so easy for us as His children to close
the gap
between ourselves and Him.

Thus
declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will
return to you. Zechariah 1:3 b ESV

The apostle James tells us “Draw close to God, and He will
draw close to you.” (James 4:8)

He will draw close. He who
is full of mercy and lovingkindness WILL
draw close.

If we drift from God, He is happy to renew fellowship and a
loving relationship with us. He waits
for our response to Him, and when we draw nearer to Him, He quickly closes that
gap between us and Himself.

Monday, July 7, 2014

I understand how not “sitting still” can wear a body out, as
well as keep you from hearing from the Lord. My sister used to say to me,
almost every time she came over, “Sit down! Can’t you ever be still?” I blamed
my constant doing on the fact that I
have six children. Well, most of the children have grown up and gone, and I
still find myself too busy to be still.

When my Scripture reading led me to the words of Isaiah 30:7 last week, I sat quietly a few minutes to let them sink into my soul…and I listened.

Their
strength is to sit still. (v.7)

For
thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye
be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would
not. Isaiah 30:15

But, I’m in the process of doing my thing, ticking off the
tasks on my to-do list, accomplishing some goal? So what!
All of my striving can never take the place of God’s leading and His
strength. I don’t want to be as obstinate
as the rebellious children of Israel.

Our strength comes when we humble ourselves enough to sit
still in dependence upon God and in
submission to His Holy will, which is far better and above anything we
could imagine.

I’d like to share a quote from one of my favorite
devotionals. This is from Oswald
Chamber’s My Utmost for His Highest:

“It sounds so easy to talk about ‘resting in the Lord’ and
‘waiting patiently for Him’ until the nest is upset—until we live, as so many
are doing in tumult and anguish; is it possible then to rest in the Lord? … Resting
in the Lord does not depend on external circumstances at all, but on your
relationship to God Himself.”

So with my calendar full of visitors and day trips,
birthdays and celebrations, I’ve decided to take a little vacation from the
blog. I hope to “sit still” before God often and return to you refreshed and
inspired with a new meditation on July 28th.

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About Me

What defines me as a person--first and foremost my relationship with Christ. Then I have to say my children. I have six children, three sons and three daughters, whom I love with all my heart. I graduated college wanting to be a writer and a stay at home mom. After my divorce, I became a teacher and the writing became a once in a while thing. I have worked in education for the last 25 years. I've served as an English teacher, French teacher, counselor and librarian. Currently, I'm an adjunct English instructor at a community college. In 2008, I started writing again. Mostly I write about God in my everyday life, how to connect faith and figure out practical applications for Scripture in daily life. God's goodness gives me strength for each day. Let's encourage one another on this blog. And, by the way, I'm a Southerner, born in Georgia, and have lived in Martinez (suburb of Augusta, GA) for the last thirty years.